Behind the Candelabra - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of Behind the Candelabra or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to Behind the Candelabra

[charlie]

Despite its years in development limbo, Michael Douglas and Matt Damon were firmly committed to the project throughout.

[amber]

Watched by 3.5 million when it made its debut on HBO in America. This was HBO's highest ratings for an original film since 2004.

[cameron]

In a January 2013 interview with the New York Post, director Steven Soderbergh said that the film was originally intended for theatrical release, but was ultimately produced by and aired on HBO instead because the story was seen as "too gay" by all of the major Hollywood studios: "Nobody would make it, we went to everybody in town. They all said it was too gay. And this is after Brokeback Mountain (2005), by the way, which is not as funny as this movie. I was stunned. It made no sense to any of us." Despite this, the film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received its worldwide premiere. It was also theatrically released in Europe and the rest of the world.

[aaron]

In May 2013, The New York Times reported that Scott Thorson received a little less than $100,000 for his participation with this movie, and that he spent all of that money "in about two months, mostly on cars and jewelry."

[victoria]

Both of the stars of this film share the exact same initials, MD. And both are also Oscar winners, Michael Douglas won his Oscar for Wall Street (1987) for Best Actor in a Leading Role. And Matt Damon won his Oscar for Good Will Hunting (1997) (exactly ten years after Michael Douglas), for Best Original Screenplay.

[phyllis]

Debbie Reynolds' final live-action acting role.

[kylie]

The Liberace Foundation in Las Vegas owns many of the original portraits from the pianist's famous home. However, the paintings which appear in the film are all recreations, with the original facial features altered to resemble Michael Douglas.

[janice]

Robin Williams was originally set to play Liberace.

[manuel]

In reality, Liberace was forty years older than Scott Thorson.

[nina]

In the scene where Liberace (Douglas) is showing Scott (Damon) VHS recordings of his TV show, he is showing them on a Betamax player, despite the recordings clearly being shown on VHS tapes.

[lonnie]

Steven Soderbergh maintained that this would be his last feature film before retiring. He largely kept to that promise for four years, devoting his energies to the TV series The Knick (2014) and other sideline interests, but made his return to features with Logan Lucky (2017).

[bernice]

Originally announced in 2008, filming on the project had to be delayed when Michael Douglas began treatment for stage IV throat cancer in 2010.

[gabriel]

The film won 11 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie, Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or a Movie (Non-Prosthetic), Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie - Michael Douglas and Outstanding Miniseries or Movie.

[chad]

Liberace's Beverly Hills penthouse was shot on location in the real apartment space. The art department was able to recreate the apartment's original black and metallic look based on photos provided by the owner, who was a huge Liberace fan.